Vian, OK: In addition to their beauty and intelligence, domestic horses tend to be gentle in nature and hard-working animals. But one Oklahoma man ignored these traits, and the cruelties he allegedly inflicted upon his horse lead to his arrest.

The Sequoyah County sheriff’s department was called out after a neighbor found a severely injured horse tied to a tree. The horse had large open wounds on its body and legs where its flesh had been torn away. One neighbor stated that both of its eyes were gone, one pulled from its socket.

The injuries were so severe, the horse had to be humanely euthanized.

The man allegedly tied his horse to an ATV, then drove nearly half a mile, dragging the horse along the road. He then tied the horse to a tree and left it there, in severe pain, to die. According to the Sequoyah County sheriff, the man was upset because the horse kept getting out of his pasture. Neighbors stated that the horse did not have enough to eat.

The man was arrested on an animal cruelty charge. Under OK State Title 21: 1685 et seq., cruelty to animals is a felony with a fine up to $5,000, or imprisonment in a county jail for up to one year, or imprisonment in a state penitentiary for up to 5 years.

This petition respectfully requests that the owner of the horse be given the maximum sentence allowable under law, and that he never be allowed to own animals again.

This petition will be updated as more information becomes available; however, the intent will remain the same.

Letter to

Sequoyah County Assistant District AttorneyStacey Slaughter

Sequoyah County JudgeLawrence Langley

We, the undersigned, respectfully request that if Reuben Houston, owner of the horse that was euthanized due to the severity of its injuries, if found guilty, he be given the maximum sentence allowable under law, and that he never be allowed to own animals again.